Rolling and jumping robot with an increased obstacle passing ability

A rolling and jumping robot resting on the ground, including:

• a body (22) comprising a carriage (12) and a pair of wheels (14) arranged on either side of the carriage, the wheels being rotationally mounted with respect to the carriage about a common axis (D) perpendicular to the main direction (A) of the carriage;
• a sliding part (16), mobile in guided translation along the carriage between two extreme positions, respectively extended and contracted;
• releasable means for locking the sliding part at the contracted position;
• first motor means, adapted to drive the wheels in rotation with respect to the carriage;
• second motor means, adapted to move the sliding part in translation with respect to the carriage, up to the contracted position;
• a spring element stressed between the carriage and the sliding part;
• and
• means for controlling the spring member, adapted i) to progressively store a mechanical energy in the spring member by moving the sliding part towards the contracted position under the action of the second motor means, and ii) to liberate the thus-stored energy, hence driving the sliding part towards the extended position following the releasing of the locking means, so as to cause a leap of the robot above the ground under the effect of the sliding part expansion,
• said robot being characterized in that:
• the sliding part (16) includes a protruding distal end supporting a contact pad (36);
• in the contracted position, the contact pad is located near the perimeter of the wheels;
• the expansion of the sliding part is transmitted by the contact pad (36);
• the robot further includes a tail stand (50) extending in a vertical plan and fastened to the robot body (22) at a fixation point (58) located remote from the sliding part and in a region (24) at the opposite from the ground according to the main direction (A) of the carriage;
• the tail stand forms at its distal end (56) an alternative ground-bearing point (A3), in a region located beyond the circumference of the wheels (14);
• and
• the tail stand is at least partially elastically deformable by bending so as to allow under stress a moving of the contact pad (36) closer to or away from the surface of contact with the ground.